Irish Film Magic at the Galway Film Fleadh 2016

07/20/2016

The rain couldn’t keep film fans away as Galway’s Fleadh sells out once again

For one week in the summer the entire Irish film industry descends on the “Cannes on the Corrib”, alongside filmmakers, talent, financiers and more from every corner of the world. They share ideas, collaborate and watch films in the uniquely welcoming, intimate and informal atmosphere that only a Galway festival experience could provide.

The 28th Galway Film Fleadh featured 150 films, took place across the newly elected European City of Culture 2020 over the first weekend in July 2016.

The festival line-up included plenty of indie and mainstream international films to complement its strong Irish offerings. In fact there were 30 different countries represented. This year’s country of focus was Finland and there was also a major move to highlight Women in Film, with a unprecedented number of female directed films featuring.

Special guests this year included legendary Irish director Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot, In the Name of the Father, The Field and In America), actress Ruth Negga (Love/Hate, Misfits, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) and screenwriter Kirsten Smith (10 Things I Hate About You, Legally Blonde).

There was also a full menu of films looking at food and drink; a showcase of the best cinema made in, by and about Galway; a complete set-list of the best music documentaries from around the world, and of course the best in short film, and new Irish and world Cinema.

Darren Thornton’s ‘A Date for Mad Mary’

The festival grants awards for outstanding talent in a ceremony on its final day. This year’s top prize of Best Irish Feature Film was awarded jointly to Darren Thornton’s A Date for Mad Mary and Peter Foott’s The Young Offenders.

In the Short Film categories Graham Cantwell’s Lily won the Oscar Qualifying category The Tiernan McBride Award for Best Short Drama, which will see the film join the long-list for Oscar consideration early next year. It will be joined by Vincent Gallagher’s Second to None, winner of The James Horgan Award for Best Short Animation, which is also an Oscar qualifying category.

Graham Cantwell’s ‘Lily’

Irish Film Board Chief Executive James Hickey commented on the Irish films’ success:

“These awards are testament to the continuing excellent health of Irish film. I’m delighted that the joint winners of the Best Irish Feature are both from first time directors that we have supported.

“The richly deserved award for Seána Kerslake’s breakthrough performance in A Date for Mad Mary comes on the back of strong reviews from the recent Karlovy Vary Film Festival. We look forward to seeing The Young Offenders received by Irish cinema audiences this September.”

Speaking about the win for his debut feature The Young Offenders, director Peter Foott said:

“We are beyond thrilled with being awarded Best Irish Feature at the Galway Fleadh and to be sharing the accolade with the outstanding A Date For Mad Mary.

“The award is the cherry on top after a fantastic festival, especially the amazingly positive reception the film got on Friday night. We’re even more excited about the film’s release in September now and can’t wait for audiences to see it.

The Lost Letter

The full list of Award winners were as follows:

THE BEST FIRST SHORT ANIMATION AWARD IN ASSOCIATION WITH CARTOON SALOON
Joining Dots
Director Fiona Ryan
Producer IADT

THE BEST ANIMATED SEQUENCE IN A SHORT FILM
The Lost Letter
Director Kealan O’Rourke
Producer Brian Willis

THE DON QUIJOTE AWARD FOR BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM
Second to None
Director Vincent Gallagher
Producer Damian Farrell